An aneurysm is an unwanted widening or ballooning of some portion of an artery. This condition occurs when there is weakness in the artery wall. Some of the more common locations for an aneurysm include one of the major heart arteries, the brain, behind the knee, in the intestines, and in the spleen. While the causes of aneurysms and the symptoms associated therewith can vary, surgical treatment is typically required. During such surgery, it is generally necessary to place a spring-loaded clip across the origin of the aneurysm to prevent any more blood from entering the aneurysm and/or minimize the amount of blood leaking from the aneurysm should it rupture.
Conventional aneurysm clips involve some type of scissoring or clamping legs. A spring-loaded actuator coupled to the legs causes the legs to open for placement around the origin of the aneurysm and then close once the actuator is released. In order to prevent all blood flow, a substantial and uniform clamping force must be applied by the legs. Further, since there is frequently very little room for the aneurysm clip and since it remains in the patient, the design of the clip must be compact.